UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 5
The next round of Champions League is close. We take a look at the top picks for Matchday 5. In addition, we take into consideration team and player form, fixture difficulty, minutes, fitness, heat maps and other factors to help us pick out those great options.
Taking a look at the UCL Fantasy top picks for Matchday 5 could be vital to both getting back on track or maintaining those successful starts to the campaign. We have a new set of fixtures; this can indicate different assets or highlight players even more in terms of bringing them in.
Note: This article was written between the 18th and the 22nd of October, for that reason stats will inevitably change. However, this should not be enough to remove any players from the top picks for Matchday 5.
Goalkeepers – Kepa Arrizabalaga
English side Chelsea have been defensively amongst the top teams in Europe for several seasons. This was highlighted in their previous Champions League win. However, that great form did take a dip at the latter stages of last season and the beginning of the current campaign.
Since the change in manager there has been noticeable improvements at the back. In fact, at the time of writing, Chelsea have kept four clean sheets on the bounce. Two of those clean sheets were against free-scoring AC Milan in Matchday 3 and Matchday 4.
Chelsea face Salzburg in Matchday 5. Salzburg are interestingly poorer at home than away. Kick-off is at 17:45pm UK time. This means that managers can check the line-ups before deadline and react to that news within their fantasy teams.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has had a turbulent career at Chelsea, His torrid form over the past several seasons resulted in a new number one, Eduoard Mendy. Since Mendy’s injury and his return to full fitness, Kepa has took over the number one role. Even more appealing is that Kepa was the starting goalkeeper in all four of Chelsea’s back-to-back clean sheets.
Kepa comes in at the fantastic budget price of £4.5m. Finding a way into the Chelsea defence could be key this week and for just £4.5m, it’s hard to ignore. The Spaniard plays on the Tuesday. This means if he fails to keep a clean sheet, he can always be rotated with another budget goalkeeper on the Wednesday.
At one of the cheapest ways into the Chelsea defence, in brilliant form, keeping clean sheets and with a good fixture ahead, Kepa makes the top picks for Matchday 5.
Odysseas Vlachodimos
This season Benfica have shown one of the best overall forms amongst the top teams in Europe. This can be seen in all competitions. In their first 10 matches, the Portuguese side kept an impressive six clean sheets. This could be seen as an early sign, that they are a team to invest in defensively.
The Portuguese side have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last four matches. However, they face a Juventus side that have only scored one goal in their last three matches. The Italian side also took a comfortable loss to Maccabi Haifa in Matchday 4 away from home, where they will be playing.
Odysseas Vlachodimos has already shown his potential domestically. In the nine matches he’s played for Benfica, he has managed to keep six clean sheets. The 28-year-old Greek keeper comes in at a fair price of just £5m. With premium goalkeepers playing awkward fixtures on the Tuesday and playing against a team struggling for goals, Vlachodimos makes the top picks for Matchday 5.
André Onana
Inter have been struggling to maintain consistency in all competitions this season. However, they showed just how good they can be in their 21/22 domestic campaign. Although they fell short of the Serie A title, they were within just three points of claiming it.
It could also be a fair assessment to say they haven’t had it easy in the Champions League as well. Drawing German and Spanish giants, Bayern and Barcelona was never going to be an easy task. Although that is the case, The Italian side sit in second place, three points ahead of Barcelona.
In the last 10 matches in all competitions Inter h managed to keep four clean sheets. Interestingly one of them was against their Matchday 5 opponents Plzen. Plzen, although dominant in their own league have struggled to convert that great form into the Champions League. They have also failed to score in two of their four UCL matches.
André Onana played 20 matches in his 20/21 domestic campaign for Ajax. The goalkeeper managed to collect nine clean sheets from those matches. Fast forward to the current day and he is now cementing his place as the first team goalkeeper at Inter.
What is interesting is that even when the clean sheet hasn’t been there for Onana, he can still pick up points. Against Bayern in Matchday 1, although he conceded, Onana returned five points for his 11 shots saved. He then went onto pick up returns in both Matchday 2 (six points) and Matchday 3 (five points).
Onana plays on the Wednesday. This means he can act a replacement if our Tuesday goalkeeper fails to return. The Inter man comes in at just £5m. With a match against a poor Plzen side the potential could be there for Onana. For that reason, he enters the top picks for Matchday 5.
Pau López
Marseille enjoyed a great start to the season domestically. This saw them second in the French League. However, their recent results have seen them drop to fourth place. The French side have shown defensive capabilities. After notching up a reasonable five clean sheets in all competitions, they could be worth an investment, but if the price is right.
Marseille did have a poor start to their new Champions League campaign. They lost both of their matches in Matchday 1 and Matchday 2. Although that was the case their form does seem to be on the up. The French side have now managed back-to-back wins against Sporting in Matchday 3 and Matchday 4. They also managed to keep a clean sheet in one of those games.
Frankfurt lay ahead for Marseille in Matchday 5. The German side have really struggled to sustain any sort of consistency this season. They have also failed to score in five matches in all competitions. The opportunity is there for Marseille assets to take advantage of this form.
In the 29 matches Marseille played in their 21/22 campaign Pau López managed to pick up 10 clean sheets. In the eight domestic league games he has played so far, he has also prevented the opposition from scoring in half of those matches.
Pau López comes in at just £4.5m. He also plays on the Wednesday day. This could indicate pairing him with another budget goalkeeper, who plays on the Tuesday, beneficial to fantasy managers. The Marseille man could offer great value for money in the round ahead, with his team’s good form and his unstable opponents, López joins the top picks for Matchday 5.
Defenders – Ben Chilwell
We have already covered how strong the Chelsea defence can be. Since writing about Kepa, the Chelsea goalkeeper, Chelsea have gone onto secure their fifth clean sheet in all competitions. Furthermore, in the last four Gameweeks in the Premier League, amongst all teams, Chelsea are the best for clean sheets kept.
To reiterate, Chelsea face Salzburg away from home. The Austrian side have a worse overall record at home this season. The early kick-off, again, means that managers can check the line-ups before the deadline. This means that we can check that players we are targeting start the game and bring them in before the deadline.
It was recently confirmed by Chelsea that defender Reece James would be out with injury for up to eight weeks. This means that managers could be led towards fellow wingback Ben Chilwell. The Englishman has not had it easy since his long-term injury last season. Finding his best form and managing his minutes has been a steady but progressive process. But we are starting to see that progress.
In his 21/22 domestic campaign, fans could see Chilwell’s offensive potential. In the seven matches he played, the defender came away with an impressive three goals and one assist. If that wasn’t appealing enough, Chilwell also hit one of the highest expected goal involvements per 90 minutes in the league.
Although new manager Graham Potter does like to switch formations, it is clear he favours the wing back system in the Champions league. This means that Ben Chilwell could have plenty of attacking potential moving forward.
We can see from the heatmap below, just how much Chilwell likes to get forward. We can also see that the wingback spends more time in the opponent’s half then his own. Furthermore, his positioning in the opposition’s box adds even more appeal to Chilwell.
In terms of numbers. Chilwell has played seven matches in the Premier League so far, scoring one and assisting another. This is another indication of his attacking potential. The Chelsea defender has also managed back-to-back seven-point returns in his last two Matchdays in the Champions league. At a great price of £5.5m, a good fixture and increasing fitness, Ben Chilwell makes the top picks for Matchday 5.
Joao Cancelo
Man City maintain themselves as one of the best defensive units both domestically and in Europe. The English heavy weights have managed to collect eight clean sheets in all competitions this season, already a showing of their defensive qualities. Amongst all teams in the Premier League, they are also the joint second best for goals conceded, joint first for clean sheets kept and the best for shots on target conceded.
The current Champions League campaign has been a good one for Man City. They have won three and drawn one whilst keeping clean sheets in three of them. Their defensive strength is clear and certainly warrants investment. They face Dortmund in Matchday 5. The German side have only won two of their last five matches in all competitions. This suggests some inconsistencies.
Joao Cancelo comes in as the most expensive defender in UCL Fantasy. However, that can be justified. Last season domestically, The Portuguese international scored one goal, created seven assists and kept a whopping 19 clean sheets. This led to 27 returns in 36 matches played. In his 21/22 Champions League campaign, his output was once again highlighted. In his nine matches played he scored two goals, created three assists and kept three clean sheets. This combined to eight returns in nine games.
This season his impressive form has continued. In the 10 Premier League matches he has played, he has scored two goals, created one assist and kept three clean sheets. This tallies up to six returns. His Champions League campaign has not let up either. In his four matches so far, he has racked up three assists and kept two clean sheets.
If Cancelo’s stats were not appealing enough his heatmap will be. The defender spends a mass amount of time in the opponent’s half. Not just, that but the darker red patches in the opposition’s box also suggests he consistently puts himself in fantastic offensive positions. This furthers his likelihood of attacking returns.
Cancelo makes the top five highest scoring players in UCL Fantasy so far. Not owning the Man City defender could lead to more problems than it’s worth. With a huge ownership of 54%, in fantastic offensive form and playing for one of Europe’s best defences, he walks his way into the top picks for Matchday 5.
Achraf Hakimi
PSG have been one of the most exciting teams in Europe to watch offensively over the last few seasons. However, that excitement has not always been replicated in their defensive displays. But could there be a growing change to that?
This season there has been a positive change to PSG’s defensive ability. In the first 16 matches the French side have played, they have kept a solid seven clean sheets. This is a huge improvement in comparison to patches of their previous campaign.
Although PSG have failed to keep a clean sheet in the Champions League so far, this could well change in Matchday 5 as they play at home against Maccabi Haifa. For those reasons, there could be some potential in investing in the defence.
Achraf Hakimi has been one of the most promising defensive talents for several seasons now. His potential was highlighted again in the African Cup of Nations. The Moroccan managed to score two goals and keep two clean sheets in his five matches played. Hakimi became a go-to asset for those who played the African Cup of Nations Fantasy game.
Last season domestically, Hakimi played 32 matches. In that period, he picked up four goals, six assists and four clean sheets. Not only does this emphasise his offensive potential but it also proves the defensive improvements PSG have progressed through since last season.
Fast forward to this season. Domestically, Hakimi has played 11 matches. In that time, he has scored two goals, created one assist and kept five clean sheets. We can see that Hakimi has already picked up more clean sheets this season than he did for the entire campaign last season.
We can see that Hakimi predominately plays on the right-hand side. It is also clear that he spends more time in the opponent’s half and has plenty of positioning in the opposition’s box. Both are huge indicators of Hakimi’s attacking potential in any given match.
Although he has a £6m price-tag, Hakimi plays for an increasingly improving defence, has fantastic offensive ability and has a great fixture ahead. The Moroccan has to be considered and for that reason, eases his way into the top picks for Matchday 5.
Alejandro Grimaldo
Overall Benfica are up there with some of the best form in Europe. The Portuguese side are currently unbeaten in all competitions this season. In the 18 matches they have played they have kept an impressive nine clean sheets.
Benfica play at home in Matchday 5 who are significantly stronger when playing at home. They also face a team that are significantly worse away from home, Juventus. The Italians have failed to gain any consistency this season. In fact, in their seven away matches played away from home, Juventus have won just one, lost four and drawn two. Already a clear sign that Juventus could be a team to target.
Alejandro Grimaldo comes in at just £5.3m in UCL Fantasy. A price easily accessible to managers. Last season in the Portuguese League, Grimaldo played 29 matches, scored five goals, created five assists and kept six clean sheets. This could suggest the Spaniard has multiple routes to points.
This season, the full back has played eight domestic matches, created two assists and kept three clean sheets. This tallies to five returns in eight games played. His Matchday 1 Champions League game could be seen as a reflection of his fantasy potential. Grimaldo managed a whopping 20-point return for his goal, assist, clean sheet and player of the match award.
Below we can see that Grimaldo has mass positioning in the opponent’s half over the course of the season so far. Some of his positioning even leads to a central position in the final third. We can also see the Spaniard put himself into opponents’ box, furthering his chances of an attacking return.
Recent back-to-back fixtures in the UCL against PSG could be one of the main factors Grimaldo has slumped in terms of points returned. However, his fixtures are now on the turn. The defender comes in at a nice price, plays a good fixture against a poor form away side and has plenty of clean sheet and attacking potential, Grimaldo makes the top picks for Matchday 5.
Denzel Dumfries
Again, we already touched upon Inter defensively. Although they have only kept five clean sheets this season, interestingly four of those were at home. This shows at home they are a much better defensive unit. What is even more appealing is that Inter play at home in Matchday 5. This only adds to the appeal of investing in their defensive assets.
Although dominant in their own league, Inter’s opponent’s Plzen have failed to convert that form into their Champions League campaign. In fact, Plzen have lost all four of their UCL matches so far, failing to score in two of them. One of those matches was at home against Inter.
Denzel Dumfries has become one of the most exciting and attacking wing backs in football mover recent years. His offensive ability was highlighted for his national team Netherlands in the Euros. Dumfries not only managed to score two goals, but also averaged 1.5 shots per match.
In the 33 domestic matches Dumfries played for Inter last season, he scored five goals and created four assists. Fast forward to this season and the defender has already picked up one goal and two assists in Serie A.
Dumfries has already proven his offensive capabilities in the current Champions League campaign. In Matchday 2 against Plzen, the Dutchman hit 12 UCL Fantasy points for his goal and clean sheet. Could he repeat that against the same opposition in the Matchday ahead?
We can see from Dumfries heatmap below, just how much time he spends inoffensive positions. In fact, a heatmap like this can be difficult to find, even amongst wingbacks. We can see huge amounts of positioning in the opposition’s box. This highlights the offensive potential Dumfries holds.
At a great price of £5.5m it could be difficult to avoid him. He has a great home fixture ahead and better attacking positioning than most players in his position in Europe. For those reasons, Denzel Dumfries makes the top picks for Matchday 5.
Giovanni Di Lorenzo
Napoli have stormed the first part of their new season. The Italian side sit top of the pile in Serie A and remain unbeaten in all competitions so far. Although that is the case, five clean sheets all season does seem a little low. What is interesting is that one of those clean sheets was kept against their Matchday 5 opponent.
Rangers lay ahead for Napoli. Although dominant in their own league, the Scottish side have lost all four of their early Champions League games. As well as this, Rangers have also failed to score a goal in three of their four UCL matches. This indicates investing in the Napoli defence could be beneficial.
Last season domestically, Giovanni Di Lorenzo played 33 matches, scored one goal, created five assists and kept a huge 15 clean sheets. Those numbers tally up to an impressive 21 returns in 33 games played. This season the Italian has already bagged two assists and three clean sheets in his 10 Serie A matches.
Di Lorenzo’s form has also transpired into the Champions League. In his four matches, the defender returned in three. Those points consist of 32 ball recoveries, one clean sheet, one goal scored and one player of the match award.
At just £5.1m, Giovanni Di Lorenzo could be one of the best value for money defensive assets for the round ahead. Against a poor offensive side and solid attacking potential, Di Lorenzo enters the top picks for Matchday 5.
Midfielders – Vinícius Júnior
Real Madrid have one of the best overall forms in Europe. The Spanish side remain unbeaten in all competitions so far. In their last 10 matches they have won eight and drawn just two. In that period, they also managed to score 22 goals. This averages out at 2.2 goals scored per match.
The Spanish giants slumped to a draw in Matchday 4. For that reason, they could have extra motivation to beat their opposition in Matchday 5. Leipzig lay ahead for Real Madrid. The German side have shown huge inconsistencies this season. Although that form has improved with their three wins on the bounce they have still conceded, on average, 1.5 goals per match. This average is one of the worst amongst all of the Champions League teams.
Vinícius Júnior comes in at the premium price of £10m. The Brazilian took a positive position change from a forward last season. That position change has meant the midfielder receives an extra point for a clean sheet and per goal scored.
Last season Vinícius Júnior started to meet his potential. In his 35 matches played he scored a huge 17 goals and created 10 assists. This tallies up to 27 goal contributions in 35 games played. This could be seen as hugely impressive from the wing. His 21/22 form didn’t stop in La Liga. In his Champions campaign, the attacker hit four goals and six assist in 13 matches played.
This season there has been no let up from Vinícius Júnior. In his first 10 domestic matches played, he has scored five goals and created one assist. Once again that top form has also translated into his UCL campaign. The Brazilian managed back-to-back returns in Matchday 1, Matchday 2 and Matchday 3. Although he failed to start in Matchday 4 due to resting purposes, it is highly likely he starts in Matchday 5.
Vinícius Júnior plays against a regularly conceding opponent, he is in-form, and his team will be looking to improve on their Matchday 4 result. Considering all of the factors above, the Real Madrid star joins the top picks for Matchday 5.
The Man City midfield
The English giants have only lost two matches this season. Interestingly the team that stopped them twice was Liverpool. In the last 10 matches Man City have won seven, lost one and drawn two. Their Champions League form is even more impressive. In their four matches played they are unbeaten whilst also winning three and drawing one.
Man City average one of the best scoring averages in Europe. The English side have relentlessly shown they can dismantle teams and score plenty of goals. In their last 10 matches, they have scored 31 goals. That averages out at 3.1 goals scored per match. For that reason, there could be a couple of players that UCL managers show interest in.
Dortmund lay ahead in Matchday 5. Although very capable of scoring, the German side can be very unstable at the back. So far this season, Dortmund have conceded two or more goals in six of their matches in all competitions.
Kevin De Bruyne
The Belgian international has become regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world over the last several years. In his 20/21 campaign, Kevin De Bruyne collected six goals and 12 assists in his 25 matches played. That only improved in his 21/22 season. His goal threat become more apparent in the previous domestic campaign where he scored 15 goals and created another eight assists.
This season domestically, that top form has once again evolved. In the 10 matches he’s played so far, the Belgian has already scored one goal and created nine assists. This averages out to over one return per match, which justifies his huge £10.5m price-tag.
With world class striker Erling Haaland ahead of him, Kevin De Bruyne’s numbers are likely to improve even more. A great fixture ahead and in great form means the midfielder eases himself into the top picks for Matchday 5.
Phil Foden
The days of Phil Foden shadowing the elite Kevin De Bruyne could be coming towards its end. Fantasy managers around the world have been waiting for Phil Foden to show his true potential as an asset for years. Although the young star is only 22 years old, it feels like Foden has been with us for a lot longer at top level football.
Foden’s growth is clear. In his 21/22 domestic season, Foden played 28 matches, scored nine goals and created five assists. Fast forward to his current campaign and he has already picked up six goals and three assists in 10 matches. That tallies up to nine attacking returns in 10 games played. These kinds of numbers are close to premium priced form.
In form and against a team that can concede plenty of goals, Phil Foden has to be considered in the top picks for Matchday 5.
João Mário
Benfica started the season extremely well. In fact, in their first 10 matches in all competitions, they managed to impressively win them all. However, that form does seem to have dipped as of late. In their last 10 matches they have seven and drawn three. Still, they show fantastic form even with the dip.
In that same 10 match period, the Portuguese side have scored 19 goals. This averages out at 1.9 goals scored per match. They face an out of sorts Juventus next up. In their last 10 matches, Juventus have lost five, drawn two and won three. The Italian side have also been poor away from home. In their seven away matches they have lost four, drawn two and won one. This suggest they are a team to target in Matchday 5.
João Mário comes in at the fantastic price of £6m. This type of price-tag can help enable funds elsewhere within our fantasy teams. The Portuguese man has no huge historical returning rate but this season he has shown more than enough to be considered.
This season domestically, João Mário has played eight matches, scored four goals and created three assists. This means the midfielder has nearly notched up as many returns as matches played. This could be seen as premium priced form.
The cheap enabling asset also takes the teams penalties. This adds to his total appeal. Mário has already picked up two goals in his current Champions League campaign with two seven-point returns. His fantastic returning rate and brilliant pricing means he joins the top picks for Matchday 5.
Nicolò Barella
Inter have had a really shaky start to the season. They currently sit seventh in the Italian domestic league, a far-cry from where they want to be. In the last 10 matches in all competitions, they have won five, lost four and drawn one. In that same period, they have also scored 15 goals. This averages out at 1.5 goals scored per match.
Although their overall form and scoring average is worse than what we would want as fantasy managers, we have to seriously consider their opponents ahead. Plzen have conceded a whopping 22 goals in their last 10 matches in all competitions. That averages out as 2.2 goals conceded per match. This could be seen as a seismic factor when investing in players playing against them.
Nicolò Barella has caught the eye of some of the biggest clubs in Europe over the years. In his 36 matches played in his 21/22 domestic campaign, Barella scored three goals and created a huge 12 assists. This season his goal to assist ratio is becoming much more balanced. In his first 10 matches in Serie A, the Italian has managed three goals and four assists.
His great recent form was seen in Matchday 4. Nicolò Barella collected 12 points in UCL Fantasy for his goal and player of the match award against Barcelona. At just £6.5m, the Inter man could be seen as a bargain. He is at a price-tag that can help enable funds around the rest of the squad.
In great form, against a very poor defensive side and at a cheap price-tag, Nicolò Barella makes his way into the top picks for Matchday 5.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Napoli currently sit at the peak of Serie A. The Italian side continue to relentlessly dispose of their opponents and remain one of the most in-form sides amongst the elite clubs in Europe. In their last 10 matches, Napoli have incredibly won them all.
As well as their great results, Napoli are also scoring a hatful of goals. In that same 10 match period they have notched up a whopping 32 goals. That averages out at 3.2 goals scored per match. With one of the highest scoring averages in Europe, Napoli simply have to be invested in.
Napoli face one of the worst defences in the Champions League for the round ahead. Rangers although dominant in their own league have been conceding a lot of goals in their current UCL campaign. In the four matches the Scottish side have played, they have conceded a massive 16 goals. That averages out at four goals conceded per match.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia comes in at just £5.6m. This type of price-tag could be hugely beneficial to UCL Fantasy managers when trying to fit the more expensive options within their teams. The 21-year-old has become somewhat of sensation in his first season for Napoli.
So far this season, domestically, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has already picked up five goals and three assists in his 10 matches played. This could be seen as a premium returning rate. If that wasn’t enough to invest, he has also returned back-to-back double-digit hauls in the last two Matchdays. Those hauls consist of two goals, two assists and one player of the match award.
At a fantastic price and in great form Khvicha Kvaratskhelia also has a fantastic fixture ahead. For those reasons and the ones above, he joins the top picks for Matchday 5.
Forwards – Karim Benzema
Real Madrid are a team in form. They currently sit top in La Liga because of that. The Spanish side remain unbeaten in all competitions this season as well. In their last 10 matches they have won eight and drawn two. A good example of how good they have been playing recently.
We have already touched upon the fact that Leipzig, Real Madrid’s Matchday 5 opponents, have been defensively poor this season. That is reflected in the fact they have averaged a conceding rate of 1.5 goals this season. We already know Real Madrid are also averaging 2.2 goals per match in their last 10 matches. This could indicate investing in the Real Madrid attack a very good move.
Karim Benzema has been one of the most dominant strikers in Europe for years. His attacking numbers have been interestingly improving as he ages. In his 21/22 domestic campaign, Benzema scored 23 goals and created nine assists. This led to 32 attacking returns in his 36 matches played.
Benzema’s great form continued to progress after his 20/21 campaign. In his 21/22 season the Frenchman managed 27 goals and 12 assists. This led to a massive 39 goal contributions in his 32 matches. We can notice he returned in more matches than he actually played.
This season, Benzema has sustained his attacking output domestically. In the seven matches he has played he has scored six goals and created one assist. However, there are question marks over his Champions League form. The forward has failed to score or create an assist in his three matches played. This is something he will be looking to improve.
Because of his slow start to the Champions League campaign, Benzema comes in at £10.8m. His price drop means he is now considerably cheaper than several other key premium strikers. However, Benzema has both the experience and the fixture to match them, if not better them. For those reasons, the Real Madrid frontman makes the top picks for Matchday 5.
Erling Haaland
We know that Man City have more attacking capabilities than most teams in Europe. Their elite form and scoring rate is superior to many of the participants in the Champions League. The English side face Dortmund in Matchday 5. Ther German side are a team capable of conceding plenty of goals and for that reason, investing in the Man City attack could be crucial.
Erling Haaland has been widely applauded as one of the best players in the world. This was also recognised when he was playing for Dortmund last season. In his previous Bundesliga campaign Haaland 22 goals and seven assists. This meant the striker racked up 29 goal contributions in 24 matches. We can also see that he returned more than matches played.
This season Haaland’s true potential is shining. In his 10 domestic matches, he has come away with an incredible 15 goals and three assists. This shows he is averaging close to two attacking returns per match. That fantastic form has also translated into his current Champions League run. In his three matches played, he has scored five goals.
Haaland comes in at the premium price of £11.1m. We can see his price-tag is very justifiable based on his form. Playing against his former club, a team he scored against in Matchday 2, Haaland has to be considered and for that reason joins the top picks for Matchday 5.
Kylian Mbappé
PSG are another team that have maintained a rich run of form this season. So far, the French side remain unbeaten in all competitions. In their last 10 matches they have won seven and drawn just three. Before their previous 10 matches, PSG were averaging close to three goals scored per match. However, in the last 10 matches that scoring average has slumped to half of what it was.
Although their scoring rate has dropped, they still play at home and face Maccabi Haifa. The Israeli side have shown some inconsistencies lately. In their last 10 matches they have won five and lost five. In that same period, they have also conceded 14 goals. That averages out at 1.4 goals conceded per match. This indicates them as a team to target.
Kylian Mbappé has become a growing force over the last several seasons. In his 20/21 domestic season, Mbappe scored 27 goals and created seven assists. This tallies to 34 attacking returns in 31 matches played.
The Frenchman’s form continued to progress in his 21/22 domestic League campaign. Mbappe scored 28 goals and created 17 assists. This meant that Mbappe, once again, secured more goal contributions than matches played.
This season Mbappe sustains his world class attacking output. In the 10 league matches he has played; the forward has picked up eight goals and one assist. That great run has also been reflected in his Champions League campaign, in the four UCL matches he has played, he has scored four goals.
At £11.2m, Mbappe looks worth his price-tag. Not only is the striker on a great run of form but he also faces a team who are conceding plenty of goals. For all of the reasons above, Mbappe takes his place amongst the top picks for Matchday 5.
Ferran Jutglà
Club Brugge have really surprised Champions League fans this season. The Belgian side remain unbeaten in the group stage with their three wins and one draw. In the last 10 matches in all competitions, Club Brugge has also won seven, lost two and drawn one. This reflects a team in good form.
In the same 10 match period, Club Brugge have put away 16 goals. This averages at 1.6 goals scored per match. That could be seen as impressive, especially with the cost of their assets. Club Brugge play at home against Porto in Matchday 5. The Belgian side dismantled Porto 4-0 in Matchday 2.
Ferran Jutglà has become a fantasy favourite amongst UCL managers this season. This can be justified due to his form in all competitions. In his current domestic campaign, Ferran Jutglà has scored six goals and created three assists. This meant the striker totalled nine goal contributions in his 12 matches played.
Jutglà’s price is also highly appealing. He comes in at the budget friendly price of £5.8m. This could be seen as one of the best pricings by the game due to the value he offers. The forward has impressed in the Champions League which is driving his price up. In Matchday 2 and Matchday 3 Ferran Jutglà managed back-to-back hauls of 14 and 12 points for his two goals, two assists and two player of the match awards.
At a fantastic price, taking his teams penalties and seemingly in form, Ferran Jutglà has to be considered amongst the top picks for Matchday 5.
Would you like to know who the top five highest scoring UCL Fantasy players are? Check out our article here.
